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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29888439">we're that strong together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaliciousVegetarian/pseuds/MaliciousVegetarian'>MaliciousVegetarian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Witcher Pregnancy/Baby Prompts - March [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Discussions of stillbirth, It contains none of the usual post mountain content, Multi, Post-Episode: s01e06 Rare Species, please let me know if I missed anything!, preterm labor, technically</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:02:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,043</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29888439</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaliciousVegetarian/pseuds/MaliciousVegetarian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Having finally found her child surprise, Geralt is making her way to Yennefer.  But her actions the last time she saw the mage have had unexpected consequences, and Yennefer is currently in some queer company.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jaskier | Dandelion/Triss Merigold/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, pre-Geralt/Jaskier/Triss/Yennefer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Witcher Pregnancy/Baby Prompts - March [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2189178</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>we're that strong together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Day Six: Bedrest</p><p>This one is unique in that it's going to be a chaptered work!  Don't expect updates until after March, but they will indeed be coming</p><p>Warnings for preterm labor and discussions of miscarriage</p><p>Title and chapter title from I Choose You by Sara Bareilles</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The ground is frozen and rough under Geralt’s feet.  Her boots badly need to be replaced, but they’re miles from civilization, at least a day’s ride away.  It’s freezing out, and she’s trying to hide her shivering from Ciri, who she gave her cloak to, and Dara, who’s awkwardly wearing the top of Geralt’s armor.</p><p>Another pain seizes her stomach, and cold fear surrounds her same as the cold air.  She’s barely five months along, and if the baby is born now, it will surely die.  She can’t let them know, she thinks again.  She just has to keep moving til all three of them are safe.</p><p>She must not be doing as good a job hiding it as she thought, because Ciri is giving her a concerned look.  “Do you want one of us to go ahead?” the girl asks.  “We could take Roach, and then portal back to you when we’ve found Yennefer.</p><p>“I can ride ahead,” Dara offers eagerly, adjusting the armor.</p><p>“I don’t want the two of you off by yourself,” Geralt tells them, tightening her grip on Roach’s reins.  “We’re almost there, we just need to press ahead.”</p><p>Both teenagers look unimpressed, but Geralt’s not lying.  They <i>are</i> almost there.  The house they’re traveling towards has been in sight for several hours, first as a brown speck and then as a small square at the top of the mountain.  Geralt reminds herself of what she’s just told the children: they’re almost there, they just need to press ahead.</p><p>She’s managed to use the djinn bond to find her way to Yennefer, something she didn’t know it could be used for.  She’s musing about the nature of wishes when suddenly, Yennefer herself is beside her.  Geralt swears, loses her balance, and steps backwards, feeling something in her ankle give as it twists under her and she falls on her ass.</p><p>Without meaning to, one hand comes to her stomach, uselessly protecting it, and she can see Yennefer’s eyes follow the motion and widen.  She bends down, but then a small, fast-moving body crashes into her.</p><p>“Get away from her!”</p><p>It’s Ciri, Dara close behind.  Both teenagers have the daggers Geralt looted for them in their hands, and Dara’s face is set in determination and fear.  Ciri just looks furious.</p><p>“I’m fine,” Geralt manages to bite out through the pain.  “This is Yennefer.  It’s fine.”</p><p>Ciri pulls back and puts her dagger away, sheepish.  Dara lowers hers, but keeps it in her hands.</p><p>Yennefer reaches out and slides a hand under Geralt’s chin, but her eyes are once again on the witcher’s stomach.  When she speaks, her words are clipped but not unfriendly.  “You’re freezing.  We need to get the three of you inside, come on.  What were you doing out here without proper clothing?”</p><p>Geralt shrugs, trying to pull herself to her feet.  “Couldn’t afford it.”</p><p>Yennefer grabs her hand and pulls her up.  Geralt swears as pressure is put on the injured ankle, but manages not to fall again.  Another portal appears in front of them.  Ciri and Dara look at each other, wary all over again.</p><p>“Go through,” Geralt encourages them, trying to look like she’s standing on her own and not leaning half her weight on Yennefer.  They obey without a word, which is how Geralt knows they’re unsettled.  Geralt herself is nearly carried through the portal.</p><p>“Roach,” she says stubbornly as Yennefer is about to close it behind them.    The mage rolls her eyes.</p><p>“Jaskier will bring her back,” and Geralt realizes that Jaskier is standing in the room the portal leads to.  She avoids Geralt’s eyes, and heads through.  Geralt’s breath catches in her chest.  She hasn’t seen Jaskier since the mountain, unlike Yennefer, and she knows she’ll have to apologize.  She hopes it’ll go as well as it did with Yennefer.</p><p>“Jaskier’s been traveling with us.  I had to save her from getting hanged for willful adultery.”</p><p>That sounds like Jaskier.  She’d probably given some nobleman’s wife the night of her life.</p><p>The house is made from thick and sturdy timbers.  Geralt looks around the small room before she’d abruptly reminded she has more pressing things to be worried about.</p><p>“Yenn?” She says quietly, glancing at Ciri and Dara.  “It worked.  And I’m in labor.”</p><p>Yennefer swears loudly.  “Here, sit down and take your clothes off.  You two as well, you’re soaked.  There’s fresh ones in the bureau.  They’ll probably be too big for you and too small for Geralt, but you’ll have to make do.  I’ll go get Triss.”</p><p>The ritual had been a long shot, a daydream they had indulged in.  They had both been more engaged in the fantasy that the sex would result in a child than the belief that it would.  If Geralt closes her eyes, she almost feel the rocks pressing into her back as they had rocked back and forth.</p><p>“Geralt?  I told you to take your clothes off.”</p><p>“Love it when you boss me around,” she grins, briefly forgetting Ciri and Dara are in the room but being heartily reminded when they both let out disgusted sounds.</p><p>“Clothes.  Off.”  And then she’s gone.</p><p>--</p><p>Yennefer takes the steps two at a time.  At the landing, she turns to see that the two children (what had Geralt called them?) are following her awkwardly.  Yennefer deduces the blonde girl must be Geralt’s child surprise, but has no idea who the other girl, who she notices now has the pointed ears of an elf, could be or how she came to be traveling with Geralt.  The three of them look at each other awkwardly for a bit, and then Yennefer sees Triss standing at the bottom of the stairs and turns towards her.  </p><p>“Am I needed?” the other mage asks.</p><p>“You are.  Remember the thing Geralt and I tried, the one where we -” she trails off, glances over her shoulder to make sure the children can’t see, and makes a lewd gesture.  Triss’s face creases in confusion.</p><p>“Yes?  What about it?”</p><p>“It worked.  And she’s in labor.”</p><p>Triss’s eyes widen in understanding.  “That definitely wasn’t nine months ago.”</p><p>“That’s most of the problem, yes.”  She glances over her shoulder again.  The two children are definitely listening in.  Fuck.</p><p>“There’s -” Triss begins, but Yennefer cuts her off.</p><p>“I know there is.  I don’t remember the ingredients.”</p><p>Triss nods.  She always does better when she has a task set in front of her, and Yennefer can see the determination setting on her face.  “I’ll have to portal somewhere to get some of them, but I can have the potion ready in a half hour.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Yennefer breathes, not realizing how anxious she had been until some of it melted away.  Triss gives her one of those stupid huge smiles that lights up her face like the sun.</p><p>“This is your baby as well, after all,” she murmurs gently, and then blushes a little.  “Not that I wouldn’t help if it wasn’t, just - “</p><p>“I understand.”  Yennefer leans over and kisses her on the cheek.</p><p>“I won’t let anything happen to either of them,” Triss promises.  “I’m going to go now, can you manage the children?”</p><p>“Definitely,” Yennefer lies.</p><p>Triss portals out and Yennefer turns to the two girls, trying to hide her sigh of anticipation.  “I’m Yennefer, but you probably already knew that.  Who are you two, and how did you come to be traveling with Geralt?”  </p><p>The look they give each other clearly declares that they’re deciding whether or not to use fake names.  “I’m Fiona,” the blonde says after a moment.  Yennefer gives her what Jaskier calls her shark grin.</p><p>“That’s not what Geralt called you.”</p><p>“It’s uh,” the girl looks to her companion for assistance, but the dark-skinned elf just shrugs.  “It’s my middle name, I go by it sometimes.”</p><p>“Sure you do.  And you?”</p><p>“I’m Dara,” the girl says, holding out a hand politely.  “We’re refugees, from Cintra.  Geralt let us travel with her.”</p><p>“Good girl,” Yennefer says, even though she knows that isn’t the whole truth.  “Are you two hungry?”</p><p>They glance at each other again, and she laughs.  “I’m not going to poison you!  What on earth has Geralt been saying about me?”</p><p>“Only good things!” Ciri blurts out.</p><p>The door opens behind them, and Dara jumps slightly, glancing nervously at Jaskier as she steps in and takes her boots off.  Yennefer feels a rush of sympathy for her.  An elf from Cintra.  She can guess what happened to the girl’s parents.</p><p>“Food?” she asks again, just to get their attention.  Ciri nods.  “Yes.  I mean, we haven’t.  Eaten, that is.”</p><p>Jaskier approaches them, face relaxed in a way Yennefer has learned is deliberate.  “Who do we have here?”</p><p>“This is Ciri and Dara,” Yennefer says, ignoring the girl’s gasp at the use of her real name.  “We were just about to get something to eat.”</p><p>“Good, very good.  How’s Geralt?”</p><p>“She’ll be fine,” Yennefer says, like she can will it into being.  She gives Jaskier an ‘I’ll tell you later’ look.</p><p>She finds bread and cheese in the kitchen, and makes them all toasted sandwiches.  The children eat quickly, but without abandoning their manners, so they can’t have been starving.  That, or they’re very polite.</p><p>As they finish the small meal, Triss pokes her head around the door, a small vial in her hand.  “I’ve got it.”</p><p>Yennefer stands up, brushing crumbs off her skirt and magicking them away before they can hit the floor.  “I’ll come with you,” she says crisply.  “Jaskier, you stay with the children.”  As she follows Triss up the stairs, she can hear Ciri protesting that they don’t need looking after.</p><p>Geralt is lying in bed, looking bored and in pain.  “What’s wrong?”  Yennefer sighs, sitting on the edge of the bed.  “What did you do to yourself?”</p><p>“Twisted my ankle,” she mutters, pulling back the covers to reveal an ankle that’s definitely more than twisted.</p><p>“We’ll set it,” Triss assures her.  “You’ll be off your feet for a while, anyways.”</p><p>“I will?”  Geralt asks dubiously.</p><p>“You will,” Triss says.  “I’ve made a potion that will halt your labor, but you’ll have to stay on bedrest until the baby is born.”</p><p>Geralt looks up at the ceiling.  “What am I going to <i>do</i> for all that time?” She gripes, but Yennefer can see the determination in her eyes and knows she’ll take anything to keep her baby safe, including boredom, which she’s never done well with.</p><p>“We’ll bring you books,” Yennefer promises.  “Maybe you can knit?  And we won’t just leave you here to rot, we’ll come and talk to you.”</p><p>Geralt takes the vial from Triss and downs it in one go.</p><p>The rest of the day goes surprisingly smoothly.  After an hour or so, Geralt’s contractions stop.  Yennefer goes downstairs to find a book for her, and finds Jaskier giving the children an impromptu lute lesson.  It’s slightly ear splitting, but at least they’re entertained.</p><p>All they have in the way of books are a guide to native plants Triss brought with her (the sight of it makes Yennefer smile fondly.  Triss is adorable when she’s excited about plants.  Who is Yennefer kidding - she’s adorable all the time.), a handful of romance novels, and a book by one of Jaskier’s Oxenfurt counterparts, a collection of stories contained in a frame narrative about strangers traveling together.  Yennefer brings them all upstairs, along with a charcoal pencil and a blank book Jaskier says she can take.  She tries to think if there’s anything else in the little house that could be entertaining.  Maybe tomorrow she’ll portal to a market and get some things.  A chessboard, maybe.  They can teach the children to play, assuming they don’t know already.  And of course Geralt can and will play Gwent for days.  Maybe she’ll buy her a few new cards as a present.  She of course has her trusty deck with her.</p><p>The little house only has two bedrooms, so Yennefer and Triss pile bedding in the main room for Ciri and Dara.  They, as usual, will sleep together in the room across from the one Geralt is in.  Yennefer kisses her lovers on the forehead, snuggles in, and goes to sleep.</p>
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